Valve-float.



PATENTED APR. 28, 1903.

B. F. LOCKWOOD. VALVE FLOAT.

APPLIOATION PILED APB. 19, 1902.

NO MODEL.

WITNESSES: &KM/WL INVENTOR m: ramm.

%a ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

BENJAMIN F. LOCKWOOD, OF FREWSBURG, NEW YORK.

VA LVE-FLOAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. '726,317, dated April 28, 1903.

Application filed April 19. 1902. Serial No. 103.757. (No modeli TO all whom, it my concrn Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. LocK WOOD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Frewsburg, in the county of Chantauqua and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Valve-Float, of which the following, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to' fioats for closing the valves of the supply-pipes of fiush-tanks and similar vessels, and is an improvement on my valve-fioat as shown in a forner Letters Patent, No. 659,819, dated October 16, 1900.

My present objectis to construct a Valve-` float having an open chamber on its under side, in which the wateris automatically held when the tank is emptied to weight the fioat and insure the operation of the in1etvalve.

The improvement consists in the use of a water seal instead of an air-operated valve for the air-vent tube.

A water seal is found to act evenly and positively, can be adjusted to balance the amount of air and water in the fioat-hell to always fioat the same, can have the air-comparlament of fioat partitioned off with metal, or the water will form its air-tight Compartnent by sealingthe bottom of the float-hell, and it is not subject to the objections which render an air-valve inoperative, as the accumulation of dust in the valve-seat.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a seotional view of my improved valve-fioat in the tilted position 'on the bottom of the emptied tank. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the lower side of the same, showing braces for the air-vent tube. Fig. 3 is a sectional View of fioat, showing closed air-chamber and modification of water seal. Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional views showing further modifications of Water seal.

Similar nunerals refer to corresponding parts. 4

Numeral 10 is the main shell or float-bell, which is usually made of sheet-Copper or some non -corrodible material or in some suitable form in which the lower side may be left open. In some cases where I desire to have an unvarying amount of air to raise the floatI insert a second bell 11 within bell 10, which at once forms an air-tight chamber 20 and at the same time leaves an open chamber on the under side of the float.

Numeral 12 is the air-vent tube extending down into the top of the bell 10 orconnectingbells 10 and 11. Bell ll braces the lower end of tube 12, and when the bell 11 is not used the lower end of tube 12 is supported by braces 13. Tube 12 muy be used for the air- Vent tube; but I usually prefer to inclose the adjustable tube 14 within tube 12, so as to regulate or rightly balance the air and water in the hoat-bell. At the lower end of tube 14 I place a Water seal consisting usually of a bulb or chamber 15, lower end 16 of tube 14, and hole 17 or 17'. At or near the upper end of tube 14 is air-vent 21 and disk or button 22, with which to adjust the seal.

23 is the valverod, and 24 the bottom, of the tank.

The water being admitted to the tank en ters thelower side of bell 10 and rises to about dotted line 18, entering bulb 15 and tube 16 in sufficient quantity to give enough resistance to stop the exit of the air from chamber 19 and to float the bell and close the inletvalve as the bell rises. Air-vent 21 serves .both as an outlet and inlet for the air. When the water is let out of the tank, the water seal holds the water in the bottom of the floatbell until the fioat descends sufficiently to allow the water to run out through opening 17 and the air to enter. It is apparent that as soon as the fioat starts to descend it opens the inlet-valve and the purpose is accomplished.

Any form of a water seal which would hold the water in the lower part of the bell and seal the air in the upper part 19 would serve my purpose. The form shown in Fig. 3 is exactly the same as that shown in Fig. 1, except as to the shape of part 15. The modifications shown in Figs. 4and 5 would serve my purpose,though they are imperfect seals, since the weight of the water would prove insufiicient to empty the seal through the narrowed vent 17' until long after the fioat had descended and acco'mplished its purpose in opening the inlet-va1ve.

I claim as newl. A valve-float comprising a receptacle open on its lower side, a vent-tube to said receptacle, and a water seal on said vent-tube.

supported in said receptaele that it may be 2. A valve floab comprising a receptacle open on its lowe; side, a vent-tube adjustably raised and lowered theren, a water seal on 1 said adjust able tube within said reeeptacle, and a suitable valve-rod attaehed to said receptaele.

3. A valve-float eomp'ising the eup-shaped bell 10 open on its lower side, the tube 12 exl tending downward in bell 10 and having suppo'ts 13 for its lower end, a vent-tube 14 slid- I ably mounted in tube 12 having air-vent 21 i at its upper end, a water seal 15 17 at the lower end of said vent-tube, and a suitable valve-rod 23, substant ia11y as and fo-.the p u'- 15 pose specified.

In testimony Whereof I have signed my name to this speeification in the presence ot' two subscribing witnesses.

Witnessesn' A. W. KETTLE, S. A. BALDWIN. 

